Health Library

Dental Implants

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are small dental appliances that are inserted into the upper and lower jaws. They can be used to replace individual missing teeth or support a bridge or denture. Dental implants are slowly replacing dentures, as they provide many advantages over traditional dentures.

Advantages of implants over dentures

For some people, especially those with loose or poor fitting dentures due to flat ridges, or those with multiple missing teeth who need support for crowns and bridges, implants may be considered a better option to fix the appearance of missing teeth than dentures. According to the American Academy of Implant Prosthodontics, implants help to do the following:

Reduce movement of dentures, bridges, and/or crowns

Facilitate proper chewing

Provide support and improved stability for removable dentures or fixed bridge work

Give the "feel" of natural teeth better than dentures

Promote "denture self-confidence", as speech and appearance are often improved

What factors does your dentist consider before suggesting implants?

There are many variables to be considered before placing an implant:

A proper diagnosis must be made before an implant can be placed.

The person must be healthy.

The person must have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant.

Health conditions that may affect the person's ability to heal must be considered, as they may impact the success of an implant.

Behaviors like heavy smoking and drinking may affect the successfulness of an implant.

The person must be committed to careful oral hygiene and regular dental visits after receiving the implants.

What are the different types of dental implants?

The two most common types of dental implants in use today are:

Endosteal implants (most common).This type of implant is inserted into the jaw bone to serve as the tooth's root and hold it in place.

Subperiosteal implants (less common). This type of implant, usually an option for people who can no longer wear conventional dentures, involves a lightweight, specially-designed, metal implant that fits directly on the existing bone.

Dental implants may either be inserted by a dentist specially trained in implantology, a periodontist, or by an oral surgeon.

Health risks and dental implants

According to the American Academy of Implant Prosthodontists, implants are made of biologically compatible materials which have undergone extensive testing over a period of several years. Since these materials are largely metals, such as titanium, and have never been living tissue, there is very little to no chance of an antigen-antibody response which could cause rejection similar to that which sometimes occurs with heart and kidney transplants.